Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Festive, Fun, and Free

Yes, it's true! Christmas Break is just hours away,And when that last school bell rings you will jump up and say,"No more lesson planning, or staying up lategrading papers! (At least until 2008.)"Instead of watching the kids deck the classroom and halls,You'll be fighting adults as you dash through the malls.Grabbing last minute gifts to put under the tree.Hoping maybe you might get that last Christmas Wii.But in the midst of this spending spell you've been put underYou suddenly stop, shake your head, then you wonder...Perhaps the best gifts have no paper or bow.Maybe these gifts come from Web 2.0They're posted online, so at the press of a key.You've got holiday fun that's both festive and free.So when you escape from the malls and the stores,And finish all your 200 pre-Christmas chores,Take a minute to check out these holiday sites.I hope they give you and yours some joys and delights.

Make Your Own SnowFlakeRemember back in school when you folded paper and cut out snowflakes? Here and online version without the mess. Thanks to fellow Twitterer mrmartinsclass. Note: I also spent way too much time playing that TimezAttack game he mentioned this morning.

Gingerbread HouseRemember those Highlights magazines you used to read as a kid while waiting at the dentist's office? Here is a holiday activity from their web site. You get to decorate your own gingerbread house. If the music gets annoying, you can always turn it off. (Thanks to jgingerich for mentioning this one on your blog.)

ScrapBlogUse this great free site to create your own custom "e-cards". They've got some great Christmas templates to get you started. Just add your own photos, videos, or sounds. When you're done, you can e-mail your family and friends a link to your scrapbook, embed it in your blog or wiki, or share it on MySpace or Facebook.

Do you have any other fun Holiday sites to share? Please post a comment and let me know.